Compared to insulating things like plastic, wood and air, all metals are VERY good conductors! For example the highest conductance metals (silver and copper) are about 60 times better than the worst (stainless steel and mercury); but all metals are billions, trillions and many more ‘illions better at conducting heat and electricity than insulators!
The (relatively) small differences in conductance are basically due to different binding energies (or, more correctly, the ‘band structure’) of electrons in the atoms, and the likelihood of a free electron colliding with an atom in the metal, rather than carrying on. Copper and Silver give up their electrons easily and are less likely to get in the way of free-flowing electrons.
Comments
Eloise commented on :
Thank you very much!